System and method for preparing at least one flavorant having an aroma and taste of a predetermined form of grilling

ABSTRACT

A system and method for preparation of meat flavorants, and flavorants, having increased flavor and aromatic intensity and which more closely resemble the natural flavor and aroma of cooked meat. Preheated edible, food grade oils and fats are exposed to temperatures between 290° C. and 475° C. under vacuum, in the presence of oxygen. The developing flavor vapors are immediately and completely removed from the heated oils and fats. The mixture of air-purge/flavor-vapor is immediately carried away from the heat transfer surface of the edible oil or fat. An evaporator, preferably a spinning disc, spinning band or thin film evaporator, without a condenser is used as process equipment. The air-purged flavor-vapors are diffused and absorbed in an absorption device into suitable food-grade liquids.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/676,213, filed on Oct. 1, 2003, and also claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/415,642, filed Oct. 2, 2002, theentireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to the field of flavorants and particularlypertains to flavorants which impart cooked meat flavor to foodstuffs.More specifically, the present invention is concerned with thepreparation of meat flavorants having increased flavor and aromaticintensity and which more closely resemble the natural flavor and aromaof cooked meat.

The desirability of providing flavoring agents which closely simulatethe flavor and aromatic characteristics of cooked meat has long beenrecognized. Such flavoring agents may, for example, be employed withnon-meat sources of protein so as to make them more palatable and asmeat-like as possible. So, too, they may also be employed withmeat-containing or meat-based foods or vegetable-type foodstuffs such ascondensed soups, dried meats, packaged gravies, casseroles, etc., inorder to supplement or enhance these foods whose organoleptic propertiesmay have been affected by their processing.

Various expedients have been suggested in the prior art in attempts toprovide flavoring agents having the organoleptic profile of cooked meat.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,342 teaches that a flavoring composition withcharred meaty notes can be prepared by subjecting a film of fat or oilto a temperature within the range of 154° C. to 475° C. in the presenceof oxygen for an effective period of time, followed by collecting thefat or oil.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,538 discloses a process of producing a charcoalbroiled flavor by distributing a heated fat or oil as a thin film, whichis exposed to a temperature of at least 600° F. for a period of timeless than 2 min. to exothermically heat the fat to at least 650° F. andthereafter rapidly cooling the flavor product to a temperature less than220° F., a minor fraction of the exothermically heated oil being spentas waste vapor.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,579 discloses a process and apparatus for producingflavor compositions by subjecting a thin film of fat or oil to anelevated temperature of about 600° F. in the presence of oxygen. Theelevated temperature causes the oil to fat to undergo a phase change toproduce an exothermic gaseous material. The gaseous material is cooledrapidly to produce a liquid phase and a vapor containing an aerosol. Theliquid phase is collected as a first flavorant and the vapor phasethrough a condenser to recover the aerosol as a flavorant with a moreintense grill flavor. The remaining smoke or vapor is exhausted from theapparatus to remove the tarry and acrid flavor notes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The resulting flavoring products of the aforementioned processes areconstituted as edible oils or fats that have been treated attemperatures of about 650° F. to 887° F. (475° C.) or more in thepresence of oxygen for less than 2 minutes or an effective period oftime. After the process of exothermically treating the oil or fat thewhole liquid is cooled and used as the resulting flavoring product. Dueto the extreme conditions of heating, these flavoring oils or fats haveundergone sever physicochemical changes, such as oxidation of doublebonds of fatty acids, or condensation of glycerol with fatty aciddecomposition fragments, to name a few. Thus, the resulting oils andfats have a dark, yellowish-brown to dark brown color and an aroma andtaste resembling that of exhausted deep frying oils. These aromas andtastes are undesirable. In addition the exhausted, oxidized oils or fatsare not desirable from a health point of view. Nevertheless, they arecurrently being used as such to flavor food materials.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to overcome theseshortcomings.

Surprisingly it has been found that nearly colorless and more typicallytasting charcoal broiled or charcoal grilled flavorings can bemanufactured if preheated edible, food grade oils and fats are exposedto temperatures between 290° C. and 475° C. under vacuum, in thepresence of oxygen. In this way the developing flavor vapors areimmediately and completely removed from the heated oils and fats. Theremoval can be accomplished by applying a vacuum during the process inwhich simultaneously the oxygen in the form of filtered pressurized airpurges through the process equipment. Thus, the mixture ofair-purge/flavor-vapor is immediately carried away from the heattransfer surface of the edible oil or fat. An evaporator, preferably aspinning disc, spinning band or thin film evaporator, without acondenser is used as process equipment. No condensation is required;instead the air-purged flavor-vapors are diffused and absorbed in anabsorption device into suitable food-grade liquids. Suitable food-gradeliquids for absorption may contain one or more of the following:food-grade lipids such as unrefined, refined hydrogenated or partiallyhydrogenated vegetable oils or fats, edible food-grade mono- anddiglycerides of fatty acids, animal fats such as butter fat, chickenfat, turkey fat, duck and goose fat and other poultry lipids, beeftallow and pork lard; and processed animal fats like bacon fat and hamfat. Other food-grade absorption liquids may comprise one or more of thefollowing: water, ethyl alcohol, glycerol, 1,2-propandiol, sorbitol,xylitol and other food-grade mono-, di- and polyols; solutions of sugarslike sucrose, glucose, fructose and the like.

The flavor-vapors of the process are almost spontaneously removed fromthe process surface of the evaporator and diffused and absorbed into theabsorbing liquid. The pressure of the air-purge stream and the vacuumare preferably adjusted to a constant vacuum of between 700 mm to 250 mmmercury. The absorbing liquid thus contains an increasing concentrationof the char-grill flavor vapors until its physicochemical saturationpoint has been reached. Thereafter, the absorbing liquid is exchanged.For efficiency the edible process oils or fats can be passed through theevaporator several times by circulation, in order to achieve a highconcentration of flavor vapors in the absorbing liquid, while at thesame time keeping the quantity of edible process oils or fats to aminimum. These edible process oils or fats develop an increasinglydarker color, depending on the number of passes through the evaporator.At the end, the exhausted process oils or fats are discarded, thusavoiding human consumption of oxidized or partially oxidized oils orfats. This is another important advantage over the current knownprocesses. A further advantage of this process is the fact that nocarbonaceous material is present in the resulting flavoring product,because the flavor vapors prior to absorption are free of suchcarbonaceous material.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent fromthe following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of equipment and process flow for apreferred embodiment of a flavoring processing and absorption systemaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specificnumbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, howeverto one having ordinary skill in the art that the invention may bepracticed without these specific details. In some instances, well-knownfeatures may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the presentinvention. Furthermore, reference in the specification to “oneembodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature,structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearancesof the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specificationare not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

The invention will be described by reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Now referring to FIG. 1 a flavor processing and absorptionsystem according to the present invention is depicted. The flavorprocessing and absorption system 100 comprises evaporator 1, process oilkettle (POK) 2, flavor vapor absorption vessel (FVAV) 3, process oilcollection vessel (POCV) 4 and vacuum pump (VP) 5. During processingsystem 100 is kept under continuous vacuum. System 100 further comprisesa plurality of valves 7, 9, 16, 19, 21, 22 and 24. Purified pressurizedair (PA) is introduces into the evaporator 1 at the bottom of theequipment by means of a combination of injection nozzles (IN) 11, usingpressure control device 9 and flow meter 10. It is important for thisinvention that pressurized air is introduced into the flavor processingand absorption system in a counter flow manner to the process oil flow.If desired the flow rate and pressure of the pressurized air may beadjusted in order to vary the flavor characteristics of the flavorvapors. Consequently, air pressure, air flow rate and vacuum may have tobe preadjusted and balanced prior to actual processing.

As process oils, kosher or unkosher, preferably vegetable oils or fatsare used. These oils or fats may be of a refined or unrefined,hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated nature. Processed or unprocessedanimal fats may be employed as well. The process oil is preheated in aprocess oil kettle (POK) 2. The preheated oil is introduced into theevaporator 1 through oil inlet 8 and dispersed onto the spinning disc8A. Centrifugal force distributes the process oil evenly onto thesurface of the wall of preheated evaporator 1. Flavor vapors develop.Upon development they are oxidized by the continuing air stream. At thesame time, the flavor vapors are purged and immediately carried away bythe vacuum through vapor outlet 12 and introduced into the absorptionliquid 13 through a gas diffusion device 14. In general, the flavorabsorption liquid is kept in the flavor absorption vessel at ambienttemperature. Only in such cases, where solid fats or lipids aredesirable as absorption liquids, is it necessary to heat the fat orlipid about 5° C. above its melting point, in order to guarantee asufficient flavor vapor diffusion and absorption. The excess process oilflows by gravity along the length of the evaporator 1 and is collectedin the process oil collection vessel 4. Process oil can be recycledseveral times to the process oil kettle 2 by means of a positivedisplacement pump 15.

In a most preferred embodiment gas diffusion device 14 is positionedinside the flavor vapor absorption vessel 3 and in one embodimentpreferably consists of a perforated ball 30 positioned at the end ofline 26, and at least one but preferably two sets of perforated discs 32oriented horizontally in vessel 3. At least one further embodiment mayinclude a gas diffusion device 14 positioned inside the at least oneflavor vapor absorption vessel 3, where the gas diffusion device 14includes three sets of perforated discs 32 oriented horizontally in theat least one flavor vapor absorption vessel 3 and where each of thethree sets of perforated discs 32 are spaced at predetermined distancesaway from each other (see e.g., FIG. 1). Due to vacuum applied throughline 28 the vapor is drawn through perforated ball 30 into the flavorabsorption liquid 13, which creates turbulence in the liquid 13. Theturbulence is diffused and broken at the perforated discs 32, thusallowing the vapors to be absorbed in liquid 13. The temperature of theflavor absorption liquid 13 can be monitored and controlled by athermostat-thermocouple 34. The perforated ball 30 at the end of line 26may be fixed but preferably is rotatable for more efficient diffusionand absorption. A slow moving gas inlet agitator also may optionallysubstitute ball 30.

It will be understood that this flavor processing and absorption system,therefore, involves a very careful control primarily of the balancebetween pressure air flow and vacuum at a predetermined temperature ofthe evaporator.

The invention will now be described by reference to the followingexamples of preferred embodiments:

EXAMPLE 1

At the beginning the flavor process and absorption system is balanced asfollows:

The temperature of the inside wall of the evaporator 1 is stabilized at310° C. Employing magnet valves 7, 19, 21, 22 and 24 a closed vacuum isapplied by vacuum pump 5 to the system and adjusted to 700 mm mercury bymeans of air valve 16. Then pressurized air of 10 PSI, which wasfiltered and dehumidified, is allowed to purge into the system at a flowrate of 10 cfu per hour, which causes the vacuum to drop to 750 mmmercury, as indicated at vacuum gauge 17. By throttling air valve 16 thevacuum in the whole system is again adjusted to 700 mm mercury, now witha constant sir stream purging through the system.

1.5 kg of commercial sunflower oil is preheated in the process oilkettle 2 to 200° C. and introduced into the evaporator 1 at point 8 byopening magnet valve 7 and adjusting the flow rate to 60 g per minute bymeans of flow meter 6. The developing flavor vapors are purged throughvapor outlet 12 and diffused into the flavor absorption liquid 13through a gas diffusion device 14.

4.0 kg of a combination of partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseedoil (Durkex 500 High Stability Oil, see Table 1) is used as flavorabsorption liquid 13 at ambient temperature. When all process oil fromPOK 2 has been consumed and collected in POVC 4 magnet valves 7 and 18are closed, triggered by level switch 20, while at the same time magnetvalves 19 and 22 are opened. This setting allows the balanced pressureair/vacuum adjustment to remain stable in the flavor process andabsorption system EV 1 and FVAV 3, while at the same time the collectedprocess oil is recycled from POVC 4 to POK 2 by means of positivedisplacement pump 15. Valve settings 18 and 19 are reversed and afterthe preset vacuum has balanced, valve 7 is opened again. This recyclingand processing of the process oil is repeated two more times, afterwhich it has turned to a dark brown color. The process oil is discardedthrough valve 21 and cooled through a heat exchanger.

During the entire process the temperature of the flavor absorptionliquid 13, which is now saturated with flavor vapor, did not rise bymore than 10° C. The original color of liquid 13 did not measurablychange. The product was collected through valve 24 for use in foodapplications. The collected flavor product has a very strongchar-grilled aroma and taste, but lacks the undesirable and burnt “deepfat frying” off-flavor. This product can be used as a liquid as such orit can be spray dried and used in powder applications or otherwiseapplied, all of which is within the ordinary skill of the art.

TABLE 1 Durkex 500 Typical Analytical Data before absorption: Color(Lovibond, 51/4″ cell); Red 0.3 Color (Lovibond, 51/4″ cell); Yellow 3.0Mettler Dropping Point (° C.) 17.5 Free Fatty Acids (% as oleic acid)0.22 Solid Fat Index @ N 10° C. 16 Solid Fat Index @ N 20° C. 1.5Typical Analytical Data after absorption: Color (Lovibond, 51/4″ cell);Red 0.6 Color (Lovibond, 51/4″ cell); Yellow 6.0 Mettler Dropping Point(° C.) 15.6 Free Fatty Acids (% as oleic acid) 1.93 Solid Fat Index @ N10° C. 11.7 Solid Fat Index @ N 20° C. 1.8

EXAMPLE 2

The balancing of the flavor process and absorption system is executed asfollows:

EV 1 Temperature 340° C. Initial Vacuum 580 mm Hg Air Pressure 20 PSIAir Flow Rate 18-20 cfu/h Vacuum Drop to 690 mm Hg Balanced Air/VacuumSystem 660 mm Hg

1.5 kg of commercial sunflower oil is preheated in the process oilkettle 2 to 200° C. and introduced into the evaporator 1 at point 8 byopening magnet valve 7 and adjusting the flow rate of 60 g per minute bymeans of flow meter 6. The developing flavor vapors are purged throughvapor outlet 12 and diffused into the flavor absorption liquid 13through gas diffusion device 14.

4.0 kg of Natural Beef Flavor #13001, Lot # SL 08601 (Flavor & FoodIngredients, Inc., see Table 2) which has a yellow color and an aromaand taste of light roast beef, is heated to 45° C. in FVAV 3 andmaintained at that temperature. The process oil from POK 2 is passedfour times through the flavor process and absorption system 100 asdescribed in Example 1. During the entire process the temperaturesetting of the flavor vapor-absorbing liquid was maintained at 45° C.Its color did not change from its original color and its temperature atthe end of the process was recorded at 53.5 C. The liquid product wascollected through valve 24. Its aroma and taste were evaluated torepresent that of a typical char-broiled beef hamburger character.

TABLE 2 Natural Beef Flavor #13001 Typical Analytical Data beforeabsorption: Color (Lovibond, 51/4″ cell) Red 10.5 Color (Lovibond, 51/4″cell) Yellow 70.0 Mettler Dropping Point (° C.) 42.0 Free Fatty Acids (%as oleic acid) 2.0 Solid Fat Index @ N 10° C. 29.5 Solid Fat Index @ N20° C. 19.5 Typical Analytical Data after absorption: Color (Lovibond,51/4″ cell) Red 11.0 Color (Lovibond, 51/4″ cell) Yellow 70.0 MettlerDropping Point (° C.) 39.0 Free Fatty Acids (% as oleic acid) 3.95 SolidFat Index @ N 10° C. 27.9 Solid Fat Index @ N 20° C. 17.3

EXAMPLE 3

The balancing of the flavor process and absorption system is executed asfollows:

EV 1 Temperature 370° C. Initial Vacuum 510 mm Hg Air Pressure 20 PSIAir Flow Rate 25-30 cfu/h Vacuum Drop to 700 mm Hg Balanced Air/VacuumSystem 610 mm Hg

1.5 kg of partially hydrogenated soybean oil (Preference Oil, C&T Qincy)is preheated in the process oil kettle 2 to 200° C. and introduced intothe evaporator 1 at appoint 8 by opening magnet valve 7 and adjustingthe flow rate to 60 g per minute by means of flow meter 6. Thedeveloping flavor vapors are purged through vapor outlet 12 and diffusedinto the flavor absorption liquid 13 through a gas diffusion device 14.

A mixture of 2.0 kg food-grade glycerol and 2.0 kg food-grade1,2-propandiol, which is clear and colorless, is used as flavorabsorption liquid 13 at ambient temperature in FVAV 3. The process oilfrom POK 2 is passed four times through the flavor process andabsorption system 100 as described in Example 1. During the entireprocess the temperature of the flavor absorption mix 13 of glycerol and1, 2-propandiol did not markedly increase; at the end of the process itwas recorded at 32.3° C. Liquid 13 was collected through valve 24. Thearoma of the slightly reddish flavor product was evaluated to representa strong woodfired grill character; the taste being a strong woodfiredgrill character, with some sweetness prevailing.

1. A flavor processing and absorption system for treating a processstream comprising: at least one process oil kettle that operates to heatthe process stream; at least one evaporator that is in communicationwith the at least one process oil kettle such that the heated processstream is introduced into the at least one evaporator and the at leastone evaporator operates to: (i) develop at least one flavor vapor fromthe heated process stream; and (ii) permit pressurized air to flowtherein in a direction counter to the flow of the process stream throughthe at least one evaporator; at least one flavor vapor absorptionvessel: (i) having an absorption liquid therein; (ii) that is incommunication with the at least one evaporator such that the at leastone flavor vapor exits from the at least one evaporator and enters theat least one flavor vapor absorption vessel; (iii) operates to introducethe at least one flavor vapor into the absorption liquid, therebyrecovering the at least one flavor vapor in the flavored absorptionliquid for use as at least one food flavorant; and (iv) comprising a gasdiffusion device positioned therein, the gas diffusion devicecomprising: a perforated ball positioned at a terminal end of an inletline feeding the at least one flavor vapor absorption vessel, whereinthe perforated ball operates to create turbulence in the absorptionliquid of the at least one flavor vapor absorption vessel; and at leastone perforated disc oriented horizontally in the at least one flavorvapor absorption vessel, wherein the at least one perforated discoperates to diffuse and break the turbulence, thereby allowing theflavor vapor to be absorbed by the absorption liquid to create theflavored absorption liquid; at least one process oil collection vesselthat: (i) is in communication with the at least one evaporator and withthe at least one process oil kettle; and (ii) operates to collect anexcess portion of the process stream from the at least one evaporatorand to recycle the collected excess portion back into the at least oneprocess oil kettle for reheating and subsequent reintroduction into theat least one evaporator; and a plurality of valves for adjusting one ormore conditions of the system, the one or more conditions being selectedfrom at least one of: a flow rate of the process stream, a flow rate ofthe recycled excess portion, air pressure, vacuum pressure, andcollection of the flavored absorption liquid, wherein the systemoperates to maintain a continuous vacuum.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the process stream comprises a process oil.
 3. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the process oil is selected from the group consistingof kosher or unkosher, processed or unprocessed vegetable oils,vegetable fats, animal oils and animal fats.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one process oil kettle further operates tointroduce the heated process oil stream into the at least oneevaporator.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum pumpthat operates to maintain the system under the continuous vacuum.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized air means forintroducing pressurized air defining an air stream into the at least oneevaporator such that the pressurized air stream flows into the at leastone evaporator in the direction counter to the flow of the processstream through the at least one evaporator and the pressurized airstream operates to oxidize the flavor vapor.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein at least one of the at least one process oil kettle and the atleast one evaporator operates to expose the process stream totemperatures between 290° C. and 475° C. under vacuum.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the heated process stream is exposed in the presence ofoxygen such that the at least one flavor vapor is immediately andcompletely removed from the heated process stream.
 9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one evaporator further comprises a processsurface, the process surface operating to permit the at least one flavorvapor to be substantially spontaneously removed from the process surfaceof the at least one evaporator and diffused and absorbed into theabsorbing liquid.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least oneevaporator further comprises a process surface and the at least oneevaporator operates to employ centrifugal force to distribute theprocess stream substantially evenly onto the process surface of the atleast one evaporator.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe air pressure and the vacuum pressure operates to be adjusted to aconstant vacuum of between 700 mm mercury to 250 mm mercury.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the absorption liquid has a physicochemicalsaturation point and the absorption liquid operates to include anincreasing concentration of the at least one flavor vapor until thephysicochemical saturation point of the absorption liquid is reached.13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one flavor vaporabsorption vessel operates to permit the absorption liquid to beexchanged or replaced when the physicochemical saturation point isreached.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one process oilcollection vessel operates to permit discarding of the exhausted processstream, thereby avoiding human consumption of the oxidized or partiallyoxidized process stream.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at leastone flavor vapor is substantially or completely free of carbonaceousmaterial prior to absorption, thereby resulting in the flavoredabsorption liquid being substantially or completely free of carbonaceousmaterial.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditionsof the system operate to vary one or more flavor characteristics of theat least one flavor vapor.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein thecommunication between the at least one process oil collection vessel andthe at least one evaporator operates to permit the excess portion of theprocess stream to flow by gravity along the at least one evaporator andinto the at least one process oil collection vessel.
 18. The system ofclaim 1, further comprising a positive displacement pump that operatesto pump the collected excess portion of the process stream from the atleast one process oil collection vessel back into the at least oneprocess oil kettle for the reheating and subsequent reintroduction intothe at least one evaporator.
 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the gasdiffusion device comprises at least two sets of perforated discsoriented horizontally in the at least one flavor vapor absorptionvessel, wherein each of the at least two sets of perforated discs arespaced at a predetermined distance away from each other.
 20. The systemof claim 19, wherein the gas diffusion device comprises three sets ofperforated discs oriented horizontally in the at least one flavor vaporabsorption vessel, wherein each of the three sets of perforated discsare spaced at predetermined distances away from each other.